Favourite Science Fiction authors.
Just kinda wondering who is your favourite Science Fiction author?
My own list:
1. Arthur C Clarke
2. Philip K Dick.
3. Isaac Asimov.
My own list:
1. Arthur C Clarke
2. Philip K Dick.
3. Isaac Asimov.
Post edited by spectrumlinux on
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Stephen Donaldson (for the Gap series, not Thomas Covenant)
Philip K Dick
1. M. John Harrison
2. Alastair Reynolds
3. Peter F. Hamilton
4. Neal Stephenson
5. Iain M. Banks
6. Dan Simmons
7. Frank Herbert
8. Robert Sheckley
9. Olaf Stapledon
10. Kurt Vonnegut
Much though I'd like to work Asimov in there, and I genuinely enjoyed reading him in my teens, he's not even in the frame when it comes to style and characterization. His more humorous short stories, popular science, and other non-fiction work is still recommended though.
Good list Andrew!
Some of my favourite books are from these guys:
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash is my all time favourite book. It works at so many levels.
Neil Gaiman is a great author but also did the Sandman graphic novels - a classic. (Fat Pigeons). He also co-wrote Good Omens with Mr. Pratchett.
I read John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos last year. I think they did a B-movie out of it but never seen it.
Douglas Adams. Very funny. Nuff said.
That's my bit.
Edit: Ooh, forgot. Greg Bear - his book Eon is worth a look in.
And then Ben Bova's Mars is very well written. Better than some of the other books in the series (although not bad)
Iain M Banks
Far and away the best of the modern writers.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Fantastic story. Love all the time dilation and culture changes. Only book I've ever read cover to cover in one sitting.
Harry Harrison - Stainless Steel Rat
How could you not love this book?
The Bug Wars by Robert Asprin
Who needs heavy SciFi?
Brian Daley
Han Solo at Stars' End /Lost Legacy /Revenge
Great stuff. Not like the Toss that has come out related to the new (spit) films.
Just halfway through Cryptonomicon - and I'm not impressed. A lot of words - little content.
No one has mentioned Larry Niven (Rimworld), whom I have just started to read, and is so far very promising, nor David Brin which is one of the better writers after Asimov IMHO. And then there is Anne McCaffery for the more feminine ...
* Isaac Asimov
* Arthur C. Clarke
* Larry Niven
* H.G Wells
* Douglas Adams
Never read Philip Dick (loved Bladerunner though!). Tried reading Ian M. Banks' "Excession" and although I found it clever in parts it didn't really do enough for me to like it well enough.
Peter F Hamilton is an interesting writer too but some of his books make for way too much heavy reading and I often lose the plot and the characters while wading through the pages.
Bytes:Chuntey - Spectrum tech blog.
The ending of the Reality Dysfunstion trilogy was sublime.
It's also nice to hear a pub called a pub, a lift called a lift and pavement called a pavement once in a while. Can't wait for his next paperback in the new year (can't stand hardbacks).
Tobo (the xenophobe)
I've just finished re-reading Sea of Glass.
misteaksmistrakesmisyaleserrurs— oh, sod it.Alan Moore knows the score.
Riffs! Yeah, can U dig it?